Local golf professional Jim Kraft has signed a one-year lease of the Middletown, Ohio property, operating the 36-hole golf course through November 2015.
Weatherwax Golf Course in Middletown, Ohio will remain a golf course after a local golf professional finalized a deal with the landowner to lease the property through November 2015, the Dayton Daily News reported.
Jim Kraft, of WMVH LLC, signed a one-year lease with Myron Bowling Auctioneers Inc., to keep Weatherwax open as a golf course. Both parties declined to disclose the value of the lease agreement, but confirmed that it goes into effect November 3, 2014 and runs through November 1, 2015, the Daily News reported.
Bowling, a Hamilton auctioneer who bought the 36-hole golf course from the city of Middletown for $1.6 million, said Kraft has an option to continue to lease the property “for as many years as he’d like to after that,” the Daily News reported.
“Everybody wants a golf course, and now it’s a golf course again,” Bowling said. “If you want it to stay a golf course, then go golf.”
Some residents and local golfers worried that Weatherwax might be leased or sold for some other use. When Bowling closed the deal with the city last month for Weatherwax, he indicated there was a “50-50 possibility” that it could re-open as a golf course next year, the Daily News reported.
In fact, an auction for the property, equipment and other items was scheduled for November 15, but after the deal with Kraft, the event has been canceled, Bowling said. He said nothing, including golf carts and other equipment, belonging to the golf course has been sold, the Daily News reported.
Bowling confirmed there were parties other than Kraft interested in Weatherwax, and at least one person had a use other than a golf course in mind for the land located in Madison Twp, the Daily News reported.
“But that didn’t come to fruition,” Bowling said. “We were on a timeline, and he (Kraft) had a ready offer so we kept it a golf course.”
Kraft has 28 years of experience in the golf industry, which includes having been a golf pro at Pleasant Hill Golf Club in Monroe since 1988. He said his motivation for leasing Weatherwax is simple, the Daily News reported.
“I didn’t want to see it close, and I thought it was a good business opportunity,” said Kraft, who plays Weatherwax about twice a week during the golf season. “When I saw the auction sign up at Weatherwax I asked them if they were entertaining anyone on leasing the golf course, and they said yes.”
Kraft said it will be “business as usual” at Weatherwax and he’s excited about next year. He said many golfers were “disappointed” when it appeared Weatherwax was going to close. Kraft said the deal took about three weeks to negotiate after he first approached Bowling about the lease. He said his next steps will be to familiarize himself with the grounds and course operations, the Daily News reported.
Kraft plans to keep just about everything the same at Weatherwax, but hasn’t made any final decisions about staffing yet, the Daily News reported
“It’s going to be a privilege to serve our customers and the Middletown area,” said his brother David Kraft. “We are really looking forward to it.”
City Manager Doug Adkins said any plan that keeps the golf course open and available to the public is great for the citizens of Middletown, the Daily News reported.
“I hope the course remains open for years to come and wish any operator good luck in their endeavor,” Adkins said.
Tieman called Weatherwax “a jewel” for the city, and said it was important to keep it open because of the revenue it generates for area businesses, the Daily News reported.
Gary Lebo, Middletown High School athletic director, said he organizes the Greater Miami Conference boys and girls golf tournaments at Weatherwax and the GMC was concerned about the course closing. He said it’s ideal for tournaments because of its 36-hole layout that offers numerous tee boxes, the Daily News reported.
“This is absolutely wonderful news,” Lebo said.
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